Electron discharge device



May 9, 1950 R. w. REN-HERMAN ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Y Filed Jan. 12, 1945 Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED kSTATES VELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Ralph W. Reitherman, Chicago; -Ill.,assi gnor-to Andrew F. Henninger fAmxlicatonzxanuai-y 12, 1945,-.SerialfNof 572.5057

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My invention relates to electronic discharge devices and more particularly to that type of such devices which is used for illuminating purposes.

It is an object of my invention to provide a tube of this character which has a relatively low starting voltage such as 110 volts and which has automatic regulatory means to prevent overloading of the device, thus to restrict the amount of current that may flow therethrough.

I will explain one form which my invention may take by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates the same, said drawing however being shown in elongated tube form for simplicity purposes, whereas the most likely commercial form would'be in the form of an electric light bulb.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I show an envelope I customarily made of glass, the interior of which tube may be provided with coating material of a fluorescent nature if desired. Within this tube I show two electrodes I I and I 2 which may preferably be coils of tungsten coated with a suitable activating material. These electrodes are respectively connected to the incoming terminals I3 and I4 of an electric circuit which may terminate in a socket if the device is constructed in the form of an electric light bulb. Adjacent the electrodes II and I2 I provide pre-ionization electrodes I5 and I 6, which electrodes are respectively connected to the opposite poles of the circuit than the ones to which their associated tungsten filaments are connected. Such connections are made by way of the conductors I1 and I8 included within which conductors I provide limit resistances I9 and 20, which limit resistances control the flow of current through the circuits of said preionization electrodes. Between the two terminals of the circuit I also connect a resistance 2I which may be of the order of 200,000 ohms.

The purpose of this resistance is to provide opposing potentials which are to be applied to grids 22 and 23 which are respectively associated with the electrodes of the tube. The degree of grid blocking potential which is supplied to the grids 22 and 23 depends upon what point along the resistance 2I, such grids are connected by means of the respective conductors 24 and 25.

By the use of control grids such as are shown herein, the current flow through the main electrodes is abbreviated so that only a portion of the current wave is eiective in causing ionization of the gas within the tube. The gas within the tube may be of the desired rare gas type or mercury vapor, and may have the desired pressure such as is Well understood in connection with neon tubes.

The action of the control grids may, for instance, Y

be such that no discharge takes place until the voltage in the tube reaches volts, assuming that the total impressed voltage is volts and the pressure of the gas in the tube may be of such value that the quenching voltage is approximately 80 volts. By reason of this control over the discharge no means exterior to the tube need be employed to control the size of the current now therethrough. The control grids may be of any suitable form but when in the form shown herein have central holes 26, 2l through which the discharge is adapted to take place.

From the above description the nature of my invention will be apparent as will also the fact that various modifications may be made from the specific embodiment shown without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An electron discharge device comprising a vac-nous bulb containing an ionizable gas, opposing main electrodes within said bulb between which a main discharge takes place, a pre-ionization electrode in close proximity to each main electrode, metallic conductors each connecting a pre-ionization electrode with the main electrode opposite the proximate main electrode, a grid in discharge controlling relationship with each main electrode, a relatively high resistance connected between said main electrodes, and metallic conductors connecting said grids each with the opposing main electrode through a minor portion of said high resistance whereby upon energization oi said main electrodes a grid blocking potential is provided to limit the volume of discharge between Said main electrodes.

2. An electron discharge device comprising a vacuous bulb containing an ionizable gas, opposing main electrodes within said bulb between which a main discharge takes place, a preionization electrode in close proximity to one of said main electrodes and metallically connected with the opposing main electrode, a grid in discharge controlling relationship with one of said main electrodes, and a comparatively high resistance connected between said main electrodes, said grid in proximity to one of said main electrodes being connected to the other main electrode through a minor portion of said resistance whereby upon energization of said main electrodes, a grid blocking potential is provided to limit the volume of discharge between said main electrodes.

3. An electron discharge device comprising a l5 posing main electrodes within said bulb between which a main discharge takes place, a comparatively high resistance connected between said main electrodes, a grid in discharge controlling relationship with one of said main electrodes, and a metallic conductor connecting said grid with the other main electrode through a minor portion of said high resistance whereby upon energization of said main electrodes a grid blocking potential is provided to limit the volume of discharge between said main electrodes.

RALPH W. REITHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,053,879 Spanner Sept. 8, 1936 2,097,261 Spanner Oct. 26, 1937 2,178,011 Von Wedel Oct. 31, 1939 2,353,660 Frech July 18, 1944 

